Safety Attachment for Orthodontic Wires and Pliers to Apply Attachment

ABSTRACT

A safety attachment (A; B; C; D; E; F) is specifically designed for application to orthodontic wire ( 3 ) in the mouth of a patient. The safety attachment comprises a safe-end portion ( 6; 6*; 6″; 6′″; 6″″; 6 ) to be crimped onto the orthodontic wire, which once in place on the wire has no sharp edges. The safety attachment comprises upper and lower portions ( 12, 13 ) secured to each other by a hinge ( 10 ). One or both of the inner surfaces of the attachment ( 11   a,    11   b ) may be textured to improve grip on the wire. The safety attachment may also include means for retention ( 9; 26; 38; 40 ) by application pliers. Pliers specifically designed for application of a safety attachment are also described. The pliers have upper and lower beaks ( 14, 18; 22, 25; 27, 29 ), wherein the upper beak includes means to crimp ( 17; 24; 28 ) the safe-end portion onto an orthodontic wire and the lower beak includes means to retain ( 20; 20′; 30 ) the safety attachment prior to applying the safe-end portion to the wire and after application release the safe-end leaving it in place on the wire in the patient&#39;s mouth.

The invention relates to a safety attachment for orthodontic wires and pliers to apply the safety attachment.

Orthodontic braces consist of brackets that are affixed to teeth, and orthodontic wires which will simply be referred to hereinafter as wires for the sake of brevity that attach to those brackets to deliver a controlled force to move and guide the teeth, such that they come into the desired alignment. At the beginning of treatment, the wires used are of small diameter, as small as 0.3 mm or less, and are very flexible. As treatment progresses the wires used may be of larger diameter and thus be less flexible.

Using the small diameter wires at the start of treatment in particular poses three problems, as follows.

-   1. The flexibility of the wires allows them to distort and pull out     of the bracket on the last tooth in the dental arch usually a molar,     with a tube type of orthodontic bracket. -   2. When placing the wires, excess wire is clipped off from behind     the last most tooth. Pliers designed to cut and hold the excised     wire fragment, so that the fragment can safely be removed from the     mouth, can fail to adequately hold very thin wires such that the     fragment of wire is dropped in the back of the patient's mouth and     it is then difficult to locate and recover. -   3. As teeth align during the orthodontic treatment, less length of     wire is needed and excess wire protrudes at the back behind the last     most tooth. This can occur between appointments with the     orthodontist and can cause ulceration to the cheeks of the patient,     even if the end of the wire is curved into a loop. In addition, it     is difficult to access the wire at the back of the mouth in order to     adequately turn it into a loop. Furthermore, modern flexible-alloy     wires resist deformation and do not readily accept the imposition of     a shape-change, making it difficult to obtain adequate curvature to     create a loop that makes the wire safe.

All three problems pose a health risk to orthodontic patients and generate emergency visits which increase the workload of the orthodontist. A solution to these problems is therefore highly desirable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety attachment for orthodontic wires and pliers to apply the attachment which mitigate the above described problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a safety attachment specifically designed for application to orthodontic wire in the mouth of a patient, the safety attachment comprising a safe-end portion to be crimped onto the orthodontic wire, which once in place on the wire has no sharp edges characterised in that it comprises upper and lower portions secured to each other by a hinge.

Further features of the safety attachment are set out in claims 2 to 8 of the accompanying claims.

According to a second aspect of the invention there are provided pliers specifically designed for application of a safety attachment according to the first aspect of the invention, the pliers having upper and lower beaks, wherein the upper beak includes means to crimp the safe-end onto an orthodontic wire and the lower beak includes means to retain the safety attachment prior to applying the safe-end to the wire and after application release the safe-end leaving it in place on the wire in the patient's mouth.

Further features of the pliers are set out in claims 10 to 15 of the accompanying claims.

Embodiments of the safety attachment and the pliers will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the problem to be solved, in (a) side view and (b) back view;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a first embodiment of the safety attachment according to the invention, in (a) top view, (b) end view and (c) side view;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates beaks of pliers used to apply the first embodiment of the safety attachment of FIG. 2, (a) in side view closing around the attachment, (b) showing the lower face of the upper beak and (c) showing the upper face of the lower beak;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the attachment according to the invention in place on the wire after application using the pliers;

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of the safety attachment according to the invention, in (a) top view, (b) end view and (c) side view;

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates beaks of pliers used to apply the second embodiment of the safety attachment of FIG. 5, (a) in side view closing around the attachment, (b) showing the lower face of the upper beak and (c) showing the upper face of the lower beak;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a third embodiment of the safety attachment according to the invention, in (a) bottom view, (b) cross section along line Y-Y of (a), and (c) cross section along line X-X of (a);

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates beaks of pliers used to apply the third embodiment of the safety attachment of FIG. 7, (a) in end view, (b) in side view, (c) showing the inner face of the upper beak and (d) showing the inner face of the lower beak;

FIG. 9 schematically illustrates the third embodiment of a safety attachment according to the invention in place on a wire after application using the pliers;

FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a fourth embodiment of a safety attachment according to the invention in (a) side view and (b) top view;

FIG. 11 schematically illustrates a fifth embodiment of a safety attachment according to the invention in (a) front view and (b) top view;

FIG. 12 schematically illustrates beaks of pliers for application of the fourth of fifth embodiments, in (a) end view and (b) side view;

FIG. 13 schematically illustrates beaks of pliers for cutting the orthodontic wire to the length required for application of one of the safety attachments;

FIG. 14 schematically illustrates beaks of pliers for safe removal of one of the safety attachments, and

FIG. 15 schematically illustrates a sixth embodiment of a safety attachment according to the invention in (a) top view, (b) bottom view, (c) end view and (d) back view.

Referring first to FIG. 1 an orthodontic fixed appliance includes a bracket, called a tube 1 that is affixed to a molar tooth 2. Through this tube 1 passes a wire 3, the protruding portion of which, in the prior art, is then bent at an angle to create a turned end 4 as it emerges from the tube behind the molar tooth. The bending of the wire 3 to create the turned end 4 is designed to do two things. The first is to help prevent the wire 3 from being pulled back forwards through the tube 1 accidentally. The second is that it presents a curved profile of wire 3 rather than a cut and sharp end which might cause trauma to the cheeks of the patient. However, creating an adequate angle to achieve a satisfactory result, especially in small diameter flexible-alloy wires, is difficult. Often the wire 3 still pulls through the tube 1 and sometimes the turned end 4 unbends between appointments so that a sharp end is produced.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a first embodiment of the invention will be described. In its initial form a safety attachment A consists of four portions:

-   -   a first portion is a safe-end portion 6 which in use is closed         around the wire 3 and is left on the wire 3 in the patient's         mouth as a safe-end;     -   a second portion comprises a connecting isthmus 7;     -   a third portion is a wire-retaining portion 8 which in use is         closed around the excised wire fragment, maintaining hold of it         so that it can be removed with the pliers, and     -   a fourth portion is a retaining lug 9, that is retained in the         jaws of pliers as will become clear so that the excised fragment         can be safely removed from the patient's mouth without danger of         being dropped.

When viewed from the end as in FIG. 2( b), the safety attachment A resembles a split-shot weight as used in angling, with upper and lower portions 12 and 13 that are connected on one side only by a thin area of metal which acts as a hinge 10. The internal faces 11 of the upper and lower portions 12 and 13 are serrated to increase grip on the wire 3.

When viewed from the side as in FIG. 2( c), the division between the upper portion 12 and the lower portion 13 can be seen. The retaining lug 9 and connecting isthmus 7 are positioned level with the upper face 11 b of the lower portion 13.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the safety attachment A is applied to the wire 3 using specially designed pliers the upper beak 14 and lower beak 18 of which are shown schematically. The beaks 14, 18 are formed integrally with or secured to arms of pliers in conventional manner to provide the entire tool. The upper beak 14 carries three blades 15, 16 and 17. The first blade 15 is to crimp the wire-retaining portion 8 so that it grips the wire 3. The second blade 16 is to cut through the connecting isthmus 7. The third blade 17 is to crimp the safe-end portion 6 so that it grips the wire 3. The lower beak 18 carries one blade 19 to fit under the connecting isthmus 7 and which is aligned with the second blade 16 of the upper beak 14, this ensures that when the pliers are closed there is a clean cut of both the isthmus 7 and the wire 3. The crimping blades 15 and 17 may be multiple blades and/or broad flat ended blades in order to provide the best crimping action without risk of cutting through the portions 6 and 8 of the safety attachment A.

The lower beak 18 also includes an upstand 20 within which is provided a recess 20 a, with an opening 20 b facing the blade 19. The recess 20 a is shaped for receipt of the retaining lug 9. The lug 9 and recess 20 a cooperate to prevent the safety attachment A being accidentally dislodged during use in the patient's mouth, and to ensure that the wire retaining portion 8 and wire fragment are safely removed from the patent's mouth. A bore 21 runs vertically through the upstand 20 from the outer face of the lower beak 18 and the recess 20 a. The bore 21 is provided to allow insertion of a dental probe or similar instrument to remove the lug 9 and retained wire fragment following attachment of the safe-end 6 to the wire 3 in the patent's mouth. The lug 9 and retained wire fragment can thus be dropped directly into a secure sharps container in accordance with health and safety procedures.

Referring now to FIG. 4 the end result of use of the safety attachment A is illustrated, showing the safe-end 6 in place on the end of the wire 3. The safe-end 6 is shaped to have no sharp edges, that is to be spherical or ovoid or the like, in order to minimise the chances that it can cause any damage to the cheeks of a patient. The safety attachment A can be used for all wires to apply a safe-end 6 as an anti-pull-through device and so as to ensure patients are protected from wire-pokes.

Referring now to FIG. 5 a second embodiment of a safety attachment B according to the invention is illustrated with parts common to the first embodiment being like referenced, but with the addition of a “′”. The safety attachment B is for use where there is no requirement to remove any of the wire 3, that is the wire 3 is already of the correct length, and thus no wire fragment needs to be retained and removed from the patient's mouth. Thus the safety attachment B simply comprises a safe-end 6′ and a retaining lug 9′ connected by an isthmus 7′, these parts being substantially as previously described with reference to safety attachment A.

Referring now to FIG. 6, upper beak 22 and lower beak 25 of pliers designed for application of safety attachment B are illustrated schematically. The upper beak 22 carries only two blades 23 and 24. The first blade 23 is designed to cut through the isthmus 7′ but not through the wire 3. The first blade 23 does not extend the full width of the upper beak 23, so as to avoid impinging on the wire 23. The second blade 24, which may be a multiple blade and/or which may be a flat ended broad blade, is designed to crimp the safe-end portion 6 onto the wire 3 so that it is safely retained.

As with the pliers to apply the first embodiment of the safety attachment A, there is a recess 20′ in the lower beak 25 to receive the retaining lug 9 and there is a bore 21′ to accept a dental probe or similar instrument to facilitate removal of the retaining lug 9 from the pliers after use.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a third embodiment of a safety attachment C according to the invention is shown schematically. The safety attachment C comprises a safe-end 6″ which has an indentation 26 in its lower surface.

Referring now to FIG. 8, upper beak 27 and lower beak 29 of pliers designed for application of safety attachment C are illustrated schematically. The upper beak 27 is provided with two blades 28 designed to crimp the safe-end 6″ onto the wire 3. The lower beak 29 carries a protrusion 30, running parallel to and between the blades 28 on the upper beak 27. Retention of the safety attachment C on the pliers is provided by friction between the protrusion 30 and the indentation 26, because they are an interference fit. Preferably the interference fit is only provided in direction Y-Y or direction X-X and not both directions. This is to ensure that there is sufficient freedom between the pliers and the safe-end 6″ after application to the wire 3 to allow release of the pliers from the safe-end 6″.

Referring now to FIG. 9, the shape of the safe-end 6″after application to the wire 3 is illustrated. As can be seen the use of two blades 28 with a protrusion 30 there between has deformed both the safe-end 6″ and the wire 3. This deformation of the wire 3 further assists retention of the safe-end 6″ on the wire 3 and makes pull through even less likely to occur.

Referring now to FIG. 10, a fourth embodiment of a safety attachment D according to the invention is shown schematically. The safety attachment D comprises a safe-end 6′″, but being a simplified version of safety attachment C does not have an indentation in its lower surface.

Referring to FIG. 11, a fifth embodiment of a safety attachment E according to the invention is shown schematically. The safety attachment E comprises a safe-end 6″″, which has a groove 38 running along its upper surface.

Referring to FIG. 15, a sixth embodiment of a safety attachment F according to the invention is shown schematically. The safety attachment F comprises a safe-end 6′″″ which has a groove 38 running along its upper surface and a ridge extending along its lower surface, the groove 38 and the ridge 40 running substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the hinge 10 joining the upper and lower portions 12, 13. The ridge 40 is provided to assist in retaining the safety attachment F in the beaks of pliers when it is being fitted in a patient's mouth.

Referring to FIG. 12, upper beak 39 and lower beak 41 of pliers designed for application of safety attachment D, E or F are illustrated schematically. The upper beak 39 has a blade 40 on its midline designed to crimp the safety attachment onto an orthodontic wire 3, but also to engage in the groove 38 when being used to fit safety attachment E or F. The lower beak 41 is shaped, with extensions 42 and a central recess 44, so as to accept safety attachment D, E or F and support it during insertion into the mouth, whilst also permitting deformation of the safety attachment D, E or F during crimping.

The clinical procedures for placing a safety attachment A, B, C, D, E or F are as follows.

The chosen safety attachment is inserted into the lower beak of the respective pliers, and retained as described above. The upper beak of the pliers is closed gently onto the safety attachment to further secure it. It is then possible to safely transfer the safety attachment, in the pliers, into the mouth of the patient without risk of the safety attachment being dislodged or dropped within the oral cavity even if the pliers are inverted during insertion. This permits safe use in all four corners of the mouth.

The pliers are constructed with an angle of between 80° and 145° between the beaks and the handles (not shown) so as to facilitate access to the wire protruding from the tube on the last most tooth. The safety attachment, having its hinge part 10 to the hinge of the pliers (not shown) and offering its open aspect to the outside of the pliers, is placed over the wire until the wire is hard up to the hinge part 10 of the safety attachment. The handles of the pliers are then squeezed together firmly. This action crimps the safety attachment onto the wire and, for attachments A and B also clips through the retaining lug 9 or 9′ so as to allow the pliers to be removed, leaving the safe end 6, 6′, 6″, 6′″, 6″″ or 6′″″ on the wire.

Referring now to FIG. 13, beaks of pliers designed to clip the protruding portion of the wire 3 to a specific length such that, when a selected safety attachment, as previously described, is applied the sharp end of the wire will be safely enclosed within the safe end thereof. The pliers have upper and lower beaks 31, which each carry first blades 32 and second blades 33, which are opposed to the corresponding blades on the other beak 31. The first blades 32 are longer than the second blades 33, such that the first blades 32 sever the wire whilst the second blades 33 retain the excised fragment for safe removal from the patient's mouth. Faces 31 a of the beaks 31 are placed against the rear of the last most tooth during the cutting process and plain section 34 of the beaks 31 acts as a spacer to ensure that the wire 3 is cut so as to leave the correct length of protruding portion behind the last most tooth.

Referring now to FIG. 14, beaks of pliers, designed for removal of the safety attachment when it is no longer required and for its safe removal from the mouth, are illustrated. Upper and lower beaks 35 each include a blade 36 for cutting the wire 3 immediately behind the last most tooth, and a recess 37 for receipt of the safe end being removed. As the blades 36 cut the wire the remainder of each beak 35 receives and grips the safe end with the previously protruding portion of the wire embedded in it, retaining it for safe removal from the patient's mouth.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof. 

1. A safety attachment specifically designed for application to orthodontic wire in the mouth of a patient, the safety attachment comprising a safe-end portion to be crimped onto the orthodontic wire, which once in place on the wire has no sharp edges characterised in that it comprises upper and lower portions secured to each other by a hinge.
 2. A safety attachment according to claim 1 wherein it further includes a retention member for retention by application pliers.
 3. A safety attachment according to claim 2 wherein the retention member comprises an indentation or a protrusion on the underside of the attachment or on the upperside of the attachment.
 4. A safety attachment according to claim 3 wherein the retention member comprises a lug.
 5. A safety attachment according to claim 4 wherein the lug is secured to the safe-end portion by an isthmus.
 6. A safety attachment according to claim 4 wherein it further comprises a wire fragment retaining portion to be crimped onto the end of the wire for retention of a fragment cut from the end of the wire during the application process.
 7. A safety attachment according to claim 6 wherein a wire fragment retaining portion is secured on one side to the safe-end portion by an isthmus and on the other side to the lug.
 8. A safety attachment according to claim 1 wherein the upper and lower portions have opposing faces one or both of which is textured to assist in retaining it on the orthodontic wire once crimped.
 9. Pliers specifically designed for application of a safety attachment specifically designed for application to orthodontic wire in the mouth of a patient, the safety attachment comprising a safe-end portion to be crimped onto the orthodontic wire, which once in place on the wire has no sharp edges characterised in that it comprises upper and lower portions secured to each other by a hinge wherein the pliers have upper and lower beaks, wherein the upper beak includes a crimp member configured to crimp the safe-end onto an orthodontic wire and the lower beak includes a retention member configured to retain the safety attachment prior to applying the safe-end to the wire and after application release the safe-end leaving it in place on the wire in the patient's mouth.
 10. Pliers according to claim 9 for application of a safety attachment in which the retention member comprises an indentation on the underside of the attachment or on the upperside of the attachment wherein in the pliers the retention member comprises a protrusion which provides an interference fit with the indentation on the underside or upperside of the attachment.
 11. Pliers according to claim 10 wherein the interference fit is only provided in one direction and not two.
 12. Pliers according to claim 10 for application of a safety attachment which comprises a wire fragment retaining portion to be crimped onto the end of the wire for retention of a fragment cut from the end of the wire during the application process wherein the upper beak includes a crimp member configured to crimp the wire fragment retaining portion on to the wire.
 13. Pliers according to claim 9 for application of a safety attachment in which the retention member comprises a lug wherein the lower beak includes a recess for receipt of the lug of the safety attachment.
 14. Pliers according to claim 13 wherein the lower beak further includes a bore from the lower surface to the recess which permits insertion of an elongate object to eject the lug after removal of the pliers from the patient's mouth.
 15. A system according to claim 19 wherein the safety attachment further comprises a lug secured to the safe-end portion by an isthmus and a wire fragment retaining portion to be crimped onto the end of the wire for retention of a fragment cut from the end of the wire during the application process, the wire fragment retaining portion being secured on one side to the safe-end portion by an isthmus and on the other side to the lug, and wherein the pliers further comprise upper and lower beaks, wherein the upper beak includes a crimp member configured to crimp the safe-end onto an orthodontic wire and the lower beak includes a retention member configured to retain the safety attachment prior to applying the safe-end to the wire and after application release the safe-end leaving it in place on the wire in the patient's mouth, wherein the upper and lower beaks include means which cooperate to cut the wire and the isthmus, to leave the safe-end on the wire in the patient's mouth and permit removal of the lug and where present the wire fragment retaining portion.
 16. (canceled)
 17. A system according to claim 19 further comprising upper and lower beaks each with a plain spacer portion, cutting blades and retaining blades.
 18. A system according to claim 19 further comprising upper and lower beaks each with a cutting blade and a safe end retaining portion.
 19. A system comprising: a safety attachment specifically designed for application to orthodontic wire in the mouth of a patient, the safety attachment comprising: a safe-end portion to be crimped onto the orthodontic wire, which once in place on the wire has no sharp edges characterised in that it comprises upper and lower portions secured to each other by a hinge; and pliers specifically designed for application of a safety attachment. 